A Premier Inn security guard has been sacked after he reported a 'legless' guest to police for drink driving and breached confidentiality policy - by telling another customer.

George McDonald, 52, spotted the drunk man getting into his car and driving away from the Chorley North branch in Whittle-Le-Woods, Lancashire, and called the police.

Moments later he crashed into a bollard just metres from the hotel's entrance and was arrested for drink-driving, driving without third party insurance and without a licence.

George McDonald (pictured) has been sacked for gross misconduct after he reported a drunk driver to police and told a hotel guest about it the next day. He is appealing his dismissal saying he 'did nothing wrong'

He is now appealing his dismissal for gross misconduct after he told someone about the incident the next morning and a complaint was made.

The grandfather-of-three said the man had been leaving the hotel premises at around midnight on January 22.

'He said he'd left his laptop and he'd got a meeting at 7am. He said he was with a woman in her room but he didn't know what room she was in,' said Mr McDonald.

He added that from what he told him he was able to figure out that it must have been room number 10 that he had left it in.

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'I told the man to wait in reception while I went and knocked on the door, but the man was drunk and he followed me.

'I was doing my best to keep the situation calm so I proceeded to knock on the door. When there was no answer I told him that was the best I could do because I was not prepared to get anybody out of bed.

'I told him he would have to come back at 7am. When he left I phoned the police when I saw him getting back into the car.'

Mr McDonald added: 'I did not give that man any personal information. I was doing my best to deal with a very difficult customer.

The man was leaving the Premier Inn in Chorley, Lancashire (pictured) when he crashed into a bollard and was arrested by police for drink driving, driving without third party insurance and driving without a licence

'I am employed there as a security guard and get £7 an hour, yet I am expected to be all things. I was acting as receptionist when I was trying to help him out.'

The incident came to light after he told a customer what had happened at 6am the following day.

The customer's friend, who was staying in number 10, made a complaint after it turned out the man had not been in room 10 - but room 24.

Mr McDonald was then hauled into the office and told he was being dismissed for gross misconduct - after the hotel alleged he gave out confidential information about a guest.

He claims he is baffled as to what the customer complained about - and why he was dismissed, as he insists he did not give out any confidential information.

'Believe me, this guy was absolutely legless,' he said. 'He was that intoxicated. He crashed his car about 20 yards outside the hotel.

The security guard has worked at the hotel for two years and claims he still doesn't understand what the customer complained about

'I just felt I'd done the right thing by getting a drunk driver off the road - and I'm in the process of losing my job.

'I feel I've done nothing wrong. I love that job with a passion. It is not fair that I have been pulled up over this when I did a commendable thing that night.

'The police who came said I should be aware that I had probably saved at least one life.

'The driver came out of the hotel and hit a lit bollard, meaning he was about to drive into oncoming traffic.'

A spokesperson for Premier Inn said: 'Premier Inn can confirm that a member of staff at our Chorley North site has recently been dismissed following customer complaints regarding guest confidentiality, which we take extremely seriously as a business.

'They have subsequently informed us that they are appealing the decision and pending that appeal we cannot make any further comment.'

Lancashire Police has confirmed receiving a report of a male who seemed intoxicated and getting into a car at 12.40am on January 22.

They said, on arrival a silver Renault Meganne had appeared to have collided with a bollard close to the hotel and the driver was breathalysed and arrested at 1.02am.

The 38-year-old, of Chorley, Lancashire, was charged with drink driving, driving without third party insurance and driving a vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

He was bailed and set to appear before Chorley Magistrates' Court on February 5.

On Monday, Mr McDonald received a letter from the Criminal Justices System informing him the man appeared at the court on that date and pleaded guilty.

He was fined £300 and his licence was endorsed for 23 months. He was also sentenced to a 150-hour community order, ordered to pay £85 costs and a £65 surcharge.